/lit/ - Literature

Ol' Petey What edition

FANTASY
Selected:
>https://imgoat.com/uploads/6d767d2f8e/21329.jpg
General:
>https://imgoat.com/uploads/6d767d2f8e/21328.jpg
Flowchart:
>https://imgoat.com/uploads/6d767d2f8e/21327.jpg

SCIENCE FICTION
Selected:
>https://imgoat.com/uploads/6d767d2f8e/21326.jpg
>https://imgoat.com/uploads/6d767d2f8e/21331.jpg
General:
>https://imgoat.com/uploads/6d767d2f8e/21332.jpg
>https://imgoat.com/uploads/6d767d2f8e/21330.jpg

NPR's Top 100 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books:
>https://imgoat.com/uploads/6d767d2f8e/21333.jpg

Previous Threads:
>>9904008
>>9895758
>>9886926
>>9878678
>>9869681
>>9864270
>>9858262

>tfw Rorschach just wanted to stop being bombarded with shitty memes

>>9197051
Interesting question.

I think foremost it's an acquired taste, and you've got to be willing to put in some work to fully enjoy it. Watt's writing style is bizarre and his prose can be hard to digest, hard sci-fi or not. Most people come out hating or loving it.

essentially it's tough going but an excellent book. I've read it four times now and it's still great

>>8768539
Ah I've been waiting for this conversation for weeks.

Addressing your points one at a time.


On Moore, that's certainly one interpretation. The theory I came up with was that his was receiving Siri's messages (AKA the entirety of Blindsight) at the start, but over time he either went mad (through Portia), or Rorschach survived and was broadcasting further messages to bend Moore to its will. Another idea I had later was that Siri and the rest of the crew were killed instantly upon engaging Rorschach, and that Siri's messages/Blindsight were just an illusion to fool Earth into thinking Rorschach was destroyed/mindwash Moore.

I don't think they landed in Heaven, but Bruks went onto the Internet/Splinternet and accessed Heaven from there. Didn't they land in a defunct combat flotilla thing?

The Echopraxia bug didn't really fit into the story with me. It seemed like a very late name drop, as opposed to a relevant part of the story like with blindsight in, well, Blindsight. I suppose religion, the theme of the book, is all about mimicking others without a choice, but the importance of the actual infection which caused the dancing soldiers was lost on me. Maybe it'll clear up with re-reading.

Your last section clashes with my opinions I drew from the novel. Yes, the Rorschach aliens considered humanity a virus. I don't know if the Bicamerals agreed with this.. To them I think "God" was the glitch/virus, and the rest of the "digital universe" was simply reality. Watts himself describes "viral deities" in his notes and references section. God was on the side of entropy, away from life. Valarie wanted to "get along" with god, but couldn't, because she was life and therefore against entropy (I distinctly remember the section detailing how life slowed down entropy).

You've really confused me because at time of reading I really thought Portia was sent down by Rorschach to eliminate Icarus, but now I'm thinking completely differently. It's obvious that The Bicamerals/Vampires/Other non-consciousnesses are on the same team as Rorschach, but against what? Against Portia/"God"? Where does that leave humans? Simply a transition state for the non-conscious Earth populace? I remember that Blindsight for sure but it's been a while. I might do a diagram.

Fuck sake now I will have to reread them both.

Rorschach edition.

What book have you re-read the most?
What book would you most want turned into a high-budget Netflix series?
How's your book coming along?

Fantasy
>Selected: http://i.imgur.com/r688cPe.jpg/
>General: http://i.imgur.com/igBYngL.jpg/
>Flowchart: http://i.imgur.com/uykqKJn.jpg/

Science Fiction
>Selected: http://i.imgur.com/A96mTQX.jpg/
>http://imgur.com/a/90laS
>General: http://i.imgur.com/r55ODlL.jpg/
>http://i.imgur.com/gNTrDmc.jpg/

Previous Thread: >>8636700